The present invention relates to pickup trucks, particularly to storage/utility beds for pickup trucks, and more particularly to a storage/utility conversion and method of providing same in a conventional pickup bed without altering the external appearance of the bed.
Pickup trucks have long been a means for transporting and/or storing tools, materials, etc. for various trades, such as plumbing, electrical, construction, repair, etc. While conventional tool boxes, which generally extend across the pickup bed, are a convenient tool storage approach, such take up a great deal of space and thus reduce the carrying capacity. Also, the conventional pickup beds have been removed and replaced with utility type beds of various types, such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,773 issued Dec. 7, 1993 to G. Kalis, Jr. et al. In addition, the pickup truck body and/or beds have been modified to provide storage/utility space, such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,430 issued Apr. 17, 1990 to M. A. Lawrence.
While these prior storage/utility arrangements have been satisfactory for their intended purpose, such are an attraction for theft as well as having an appearance of a utility bed. Thus, there has been a need for a storage/utility system for pickup truck beds which does not alter the bed""s external appearance or significantly reduce the interior size of the bed, thereby reducing the tool theft problem while providing space for hidden storage without significant reduction of the bed""s carrying capacity.
This need has been filled by the present invention which involves the conversion of a conventional pickup truck bed into a storage/utility bed without altering the external appearance of the bed and without significant reduction in the carrying capacity thereof. This is accomplished by providing storage adjacent the wheel well area, and along the length of the bed, and providing the fender/side panel of the bed with a hinge and latch arrangement whereby the fender/side panel can be raised to expose the storage area, or closed and latched to conceal the storage area. Thus, the pickup can be used for pleasure or work without the appearance of its storage/utility capability, and can be parked in areas where theft would likely occur from conventional tool boxes or utility.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage/utility system for conventional pickup truck beds.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for converting a standard pickup truck bed into a storage/utility bed.
A further object of the invention is to provide a pickup truck bed with storage/utility capability without a significant reduction in the carrying capacity thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pickup bed with storage/utility capability without altering the external appearance of the bed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pickup bed with a hidden storage/utility system wherein the fender/side panel of the bed is hinged to allow access to the storage/utility area.
Another object of the invention is to reduce theft potential from a storage/utility bed of pickup trucks, etc. by providing hidden storage utility areas in the bed without altering the external appearance of the bed.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. The invention involves a storage/utility system for pickup truck beds that can be installed in any fleet side bed without altering the bed""s appearance. The storage/utility system is installed in the wheel well area of the bed, and uses hinges to open and close the fender/side panel of the bed. The fender/side panel is provided with a latching and lock mechanism. Since the storage/utility system only involves the area of bed adjacent the wheel wells, it does not significantly reduce the carrying capacity of the bed. By providing a hidden storage/utility system for a pickup truck bed, the potential of theft therefrom is substantially reduced since the unaltered appearance of the bed""s external surfaces would not lead one to a realization that it contained tools, etc.
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may therefore be described as storage/utility systems for a bed adapted to be mounted on wheels and having side panels, including a storage box mounted on at least one side of the bed; at least a portion of a side panel on at least one side of the bed being hinged at an upper portion thereof, whereby the hinged portion can be raised to expose an interior of the storage box and lowered to cover the interior of the storage box; and a lock mechanism mounted to releasably secure the side panel. In the described embodiment, the bed preferably includes a pair of wheel wells, and the storage box covers a wheel well and extends forward and/or rearward from the wheel well.
A preferred storage/utility system has a storage box with a height less than a height of the bed, and in certain embodiments, a lock and latch mechanism is mounted to the storage box and may include a plurality of latch members adapted to cooperate with latch members secured to the side panel. It is also an aspect of the present disclosure that a storage box may be provided with at least one shelf therein. In certain embodiments, a portion of a side panel extends substantially an entire length of the bed, and the storage system is formed by a pair of vertical cuts in the overall side panel of the bed adjacent ends of the overall side panel, and is constructed such that when the side panel is lowered the storage box is hidden and the appearance of the bed is not altered.
In certain embodiments of the disclosure, each side of a bed may be provided with a storage box, a lock and latch mechanism, and a hinged side panel. It is also a preferred embodiment that when each side of a bed includes a storage box, that the storage boxes in the bed are positioned in excess of four (4) feet from each other. Various embodiments of the disclosure would also include the described storage/utility systems in which the beds are mounted over the wheels of a pickup, trailer or truck.
In certain embodiments an invention disclosed herein may be described as a method for converting a conventional bed of a vehicle or trailer having wheel wells and side panels into a storage/utility bed without altering the external appearance of the bed. The method would include removing a section of the side panel on at least one side of the bed; hinging the removed side panel section at an upper end thereof to the bed, whereby the side panel section can be raised and lowered; forming storage means along at least one side of the bed so as to cover the wheel wells, whereby raising of the side panel section exposes the interior of the storage means; and providing latching means for side panel section.
In the practice of the described method, removing a section of the side panel may be carried out by making a pair of vertical cuts through the side panel and removing any connection to the bed of the side panel along the lower end thereof. The removed side panel may be hinged, and in certain embodiments a full length hinge is used. The method may further include providing a latch by positioning a plurality of latch mechanisms along the bed and along the side panel section, and providing the storage means with a latch release mechanism and a lock may also be provided. In certain embodiments the latching mechanism is formed to include a release mechanism, preferably by positioning the release mechanism at the rear of the storage means, and connecting the plurality of latch mechanisms to the release mechanism.
In certain embodiments the described method include providing a storage means, a hinged side panel section, and a latching means on each side of the bed; and positioning the storage means in the bed such that there is a space of about four feet between the storage means, and forming the storage means such that the height thereof is less than the height of the bed. Such methods may further include hinging the side panel section such that the hinge is hidden from a side view of the bed, preparing and painting the storage means and exposed surfaces of the side panel section and adjacent bed surfaces to correspond to the paint of the bed, and/or providing the storage means with internal shelving.
Certain embodiments of the invention may also be described as a method for fabricating a storage/utility bed without altering the external appearance thereof, including forming a bed to include a storage box on each side of the bed extending along substantially the length of the bed; forming hinged side panels on the bed such that same can be opened and closed, to expose or cover the storage boxes, and providing latching and lock means for the side panels.